How to Enable Soft Keys on Android

  • Open the file manager
  • Navigate to /system in the root folder
  • Open build.prop in a text editor
  • At the end replace 0 with 1 or just restore the backup of build.prop

Original:

qemu.hw.mainkeys=0

New:

qemu.hw.mainkeys=1
  • Save the file
  • Reboot your device

Disable Capacitive buttons

Some mobiles will have only two capacitive buttons viz, back and menu. Some mobiles may have three capacitive buttons viz, back, home and app switch or; back, home and menu. So modify the file accordingly and dont mess with other parts of the code or else you will end up damaging your phone software.

  • Open the file manager
  • Navigate to /system/usr/keylayout in the root folder
  • Take a backup of the file Generic.kl for safety just in case something goes wrong
  • Open Generic.kl in a text editor
  • Add # before the following lines

Original:

key 139 MENU
key 158 BACK
key 172 HOME
key 580 APP_SWITCH‎

New:

# key 139 MENU
# key 158 BACK
# key 172 HOME
# key 580 APP_SWITCH‎
  • Save the file
  • Reboot your device

Disable the home button

Some devices like the Samsung Galaxy S5 will have a physical home button. To disable the home button follow this procedure on the next page.

AndroidGuidehow tosoft buttonssoft keysvirtual buttonsvirtual keys
Comments (3)
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  • Sacha Froment

    What you did seems legit, but it doesn’t work for lot of people

  • Vinícius Belmonte

    Activated, you could tell me how to activate shortcuts? can not

  • abi_55514

    Hello, key 580, you should tell the key number 254